Consecutive-numbering machine



(No Model.)

B. G. BATES.

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

CONSECUTIVE NUMBERING MACHINE.

I!!! I III IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII I "b'l gumr Patented Oct. 18, 1892.

(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

E. G. BATES. CONSECUTIVE NUMBBRING MACHINE.

No. 484.391. Patented Oct. 18, 1892.

in: nonms FEYERS 1:0,, PnoYc-uma, wAsmNm'cN u c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN G. BATES, OF NElV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE BATES MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NE\V YORK.

CONSECUTlVE-NUMBERING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 484,391, dated October 18, 1892. Application filed November 14, 1887. Renewed April 12, 1892. Serial No. 428,780. (No model.)

T0 on whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN G. BATES, of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Oonsecutive-Numbering Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machines for printing consecutive numbers, designed, principally, to be set up with type in a priuters form and to advance the number printed by it each time that it prints; and my object is generally to increase the effectiveness, simplicity, and compactness of machines of this general character.

More particularly my objects are to dispense with any extra devices for advancing the numbers and to cause the movement required to effect the change to be made directly by the pressure on the machine in printing; to enable the typewheels to be placed close together, so as to print the figures'elose together and lessen the size of the machine; to have none of the operating parts exposed; to provide means for retarding the turning movement of the type-wheels, so that they will not turn so quickly as to blur the impression, and to provide a simple and effective device by which a type-Wheel may be made to either print a cipher or to leave a blank at certain points.

My machineis of that general character employing two or more revolving type-wheels, usually four or more, each of which has on its circumference raised or depressed type for printing figures from 0 to 9, the unitswheel first operating to print from I to 9 and then the tens-wheel moving to print l, and so on, the wheels being arranged to move intermittently, as will be readily understood, so that for every complete revolution of a Wheel the wheel of next higher denomination moves the space of one figure. Thus with four wheels all the numbers from 1 to 9,999 may be printed.

In my invention I support all the typewheels on a yielding support, so that they are capable of a bodily movement, and so connect them with an oscillating pawl-carrier, which carries pawls engaging with the wheels, that such bodily movement of the wheels when they are pressed against the paper moves the pawls so as to turn saidwheels, the pawls and the wheels being so constructed and arranged relatively, as will be hereinafter e.\'- plained, that each wheel will make a complete revolution before a pawl can engage and turn the next wheel. The wheels I make of annular form, and I form their inner edges with ratchets,with which the operatingpawls engage, the pawls and ratchets being thus entirely inside the wheels, so that the wheels can be placed close together, which could not be done with the constructions heretofore employed. I provide retaining-pawls to keep the wheels from moving backward. I also prefer to provide a retarding device for the oscillating shaft, which holds it from turning until the wheels are entirely relieved from pressure, since otherwise the first slight relief might permit the type-wheels to begin to turn before they had left the paper, so that the impression would be blurred. Some of the wheels are required sometimes to print ciphers and sometimes not to print at all. As both these requirements must occur at the same point in the revolution, I provide such wheels at this point with self-adjusting sections, each with the type for the cipher upon it, such sections being arranged to be elevated or depressed in order to print or leave blank, as required.

The above are the main features of my invention, which, however, consists, also, in

other novel devices and combinations of devices employed by me to effectively accomplish the general object above stated, as hereinafter set forth and claimed.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a longitudinal section of a machine embodying my invention with the shaft in elevation; Fig. 2, a top view of the machine; Fig. 3, a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 2, looking from the left; Fig. a, an end view of the type-wheels, viewed from the left of Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 5, a corresponding view looking from the right; Fig. 0, a separate enlarged view of the retarding device; Fig. 7, a section of the shaft and top view of the pawl; Fig. 8,a separate view of the hub, principally to illustrate the retaining-pawls; Fig. E), a view of the inner surface of the units-wheel when one form of the adjustable cipher-section is employed; Fig. 10, a View of the opposed surface of the tens-wheel with such an adjustable cipher-section; Fig. 11, aview of the inner surface of the units-wheel for another form of cipher-section; Fig. 12, a view of the opposed surface of the tens-wheel. Fig. 13 shows another form of adjustable cipher-section. Fig. 14 shows in side elevation, and Fig. 15 in end view,a modified form forthe operating-pawl. Fig. 16 is a section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, looking from the left.

The machine is inclosed in a metal case A, open at the top for printing.

B is a stationary hub or cylinder, which carries the four type-wheels.

O is the units-wheel; D, the tens-wheel; E, the hundreds-wheel, and F the thousands wheel. These wheels are all provided with raised or depressed type on their outer peripheries, the position of the printing characters on the type-wheels being indicated at Fig. 9, but being omitted from the other figures of the drawings for the sake of clearness. The wheels have concave meeting surfaces to diminish the friction between them.

The hub B is supported upon springs a afrom the bottom of the case, which form the yielding support for the type wheels. Through the hub B passes the operating-shaft G. On one side the hub has a recess 1). The ends of the shaft G pass through supportingplates 0 c, which have slots to permit the vertical movement of the hub. The shaft G has a longitudinal slot (Z, in which the pawlarm 6 is pivoted at f.

In Figs. 2 and 7the pivoted arm 6 is shown as carrying a series of tongues h, 7L, 7L2, and 7& of approximately the same depth, aspring 9 being employed to press said arm outward. In this construction the tongues It need not be of increasing length, as the same purpose is served by the pressure of the spring g, which forces the tongues outward to a greater extent as they near the free end of said arm 6. In Fig. lapawl-arm is shown with tongues of successively increasing lengths. The tongues in both cases form pawls for engaging with the type-wheels.

The type-wheels are annular disks on the hub B. The wheels 0, D, and E have each on its inner edge ten notches, nine of which 2' 2', &c., are of the same depth, while the tenth notch z" is deeper than the others; also, the deep notch t of the units-wheel O is deeper than that of the tens-wheel D, the deep notch of the hundreds-wheel E being still less deep than the tens-wheel. The thousandswheel F has no deep notch, but has ten shallow notches 'i t'. From the thousands end of the hub 13, at one side of the center thereof, a small pin projects and enters a notch Zin the end of a toothed segment m, pivoted on the inner side of the plate 0. This engages with another toothed segment at, carried by a turning pin or spindle 0, which extends tsetse].

through the plate 0 and has a bearing in the side of the case A. Outside the plate c spindle o carries the long pivoted toothed segment 23, which engages with another toothed segment 1) on the shaft G. shaft G, outside of plate 0', is attached a downwardly-extending arm or cam g, which bears againsta curved spring q, projecting from the case.

On the under side of the hub I is formed a recess, in which are pivoted four retainingpawls r '1', each of which engages with the notches t' "L" of one of the type-wheels to prevent backward movement of the wheels.

The tens and hundreds wheels are provided with adjustable sections for either printing a cipher or leaving a blank. One construction of this kind is shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the latter showing the tens-wheel and the former the opposing surface of the units wheel. At the point where cipher or blank is to be printed the wheel D has a recess 8, in which is pivoted a block tof trapezoidal form, on whose longest side is the type for the cipher. In the position shown the block prints the cipher; but when turned down into the recess the depth of the latter and the size of the block are such that the block does not reach the periphery of the wheel and Will not print. In this position the block is held by a pivoted catch u. The opposing surface of wheel 0 has a continuous groove '0, in which the catch it lies, and at one point a notch '0 extends from the groove, so that the catch is tripped when it reaches such notch, and the block is turned to printing position by a small spring 20 at its pivot. The hundreds-wheel E has a similar adjustable section and the opposing side of the tens-wheel has a gmove and notch like those of the units-wheel.

The thousands-wheel never has to print a cipher, and it therefore has type from 1 to 0 only, and has a depressed portion at 00, Fig. 5, where the cipher would otherwise be.

The operation of the devices so far described is as follows: The machine is usually set up in a printers form with type around it; but it may be used by itself where nothing but the number is to be printed. At the beginning of the operation the wheels are all adjusted so that the units-wheel presents the figure 1 for printing, the tens and hund reds wheels present theiradjustable sections held down by the catches,and the thousands wheel presents its depressed section 00. Then when the wheels are pressed against the paper to print 1 the wheels and hub B are all forced down, and this movement is transmitted by pin 70, toothed segments m a, spin dle 0, and toothed segments 1) and p to shaft- G, so as to turn such shaft and 6 back into position to turn the type-wheels, and when the pressureis removed the springs move the wheels and hub up again, and this movement turns the shaft back, and the tongue 7L3, engaging with one of the notches 2, moves the units-wheel the space of one type- To the other end of IIO the pawl-arm section, so as to'present the figure .2'for printing. At this time, while .the pawl is working in the shallow notches t', the units their depressed surfaces and do not print;

but after the units-wheel prints 8 the revolution has brought its deep notch 1" around, so that the pawl enters it on printing 9, and this releases the pawlenough to let it engage a notch 2' of the tens-wheel, so that as the units-wheel turns from 9 to O the tens-wheel is turned to 1 and the next printing is 1O; but after this the pawl enters the shallow notches of the units-wheel again, so that only the units-wheel turns and the tens-wheel prints 1 up to 19, when it is turned to 2 as the units-wheel goes to 0 to print 20. This continues until the tenswheel turns around to 9, so that the pawl enters its deep notch 11 and the pawl is further released to engage the hund reds-Wheel for printing 100 but after the units-wheel has printed O the first time the catch a on the tens-wheel, which has been turning in the groover of the units-wheel,will have reached the notch 4;, and the catch will thus be released and the block '6 will present its cipherprinting face, whereby when the hundredswheel prints 1 the tens and units wheels will each print 0 to make 1O0. After a complete revolution of the hundreds-wheel the deep notch of that wheel will permit the pawl to engage the thousands-wheel and turn it to print 1, the cipher-section of the hundreds-wheel having previously turned over in the manner just described to print 0. The gearing between the hub and the shaft, it will be seen, is such as to multiply the movement,-so that only a small bodily movement of the type-wheels suffices to produce enough oscillating movement of the pawl-carrier to turn the wheels from one figure to another.

Fig. 2 shows, in dotted lines, the pawl at its farthest extended position resting in the deep notches of the wheels 0 D E and ashallow notch of the wheel F.

In Fig. 12 a different form of adjustable cipher-section is shown. The wheel, which is either the tens or hundreds wheel, has a recess y,whieh forms a flat surface for the ciphersection when raised, and also a cavity 2 large enough to hold the cipher-section a, which is of the narrow elongated form shown, when it is depressed. The piece 2 is held down by the catch y, working in the groove 11 of the next wheel, Fig. 11, and is released and thrown up by the spring 00 when the catch enters the notch 0;.

Still another form is shown in Fig. 13. Here the block to moves up and down verticallyin the wheel, being supported by the togglearms a, which in turn are supported by springs 75. From the pivot of the toggle-arms a pin 3' extends up into a hole in block 20.

Block 10 is held down by the catch y, work ing in the groove and notch of the adjacent wheel, as before described, and when the catch is released the block rises and thearms it enter notches r in the wheel, so that the block is held up and has a firm supportindependent of the springs. Before the operation of the machine begins the block is set by passing a wire or pointed tool down into the hole in the block to, so as to push the arms down out of the notches, and the block itself is then pushed down until it engages with the catch 12 It will be seen that in all these forms the adjustable section forms a part of the periphery of the wheel and does not require any additional space, and that it is released by tripping devices on the surface of the adjacent wheel.

Figs. 14 and 15 show a different form for the operating-pawl, whose object is to bring the pawl into line with its movement and so get an end-thrust of the pawl and avoid loss of motion. A rigid plate (L2 extends from the shaft, and at the end of this is pivoted on a pintle a" the curved pawl-arm W, from which project the fingers engaging with the wheel. The pawl-arm is projected outward by the springs a carried by said pintle a. It will be seen that the pawl thus pushes directly against the wheel, and there is no danger of its sliding across it, which might be possible with the form before described.

\Vhat I claim is 1. In a numbering-machine, the combination of a stationary hub, revolving annular type-wheels mounted thereon, notchedon their inner peripheries, a yielding or spring support for said hub, an oscillating shaft passing through said hub, pawls carried by said shaft engaging with the notches in said type-wheels, and gearing between said hub and said shaft, whereby the movement of the hub on its spring support moves the pawls to turn the type-wheels, substantially as set forth.

2. 111 a numbering-machine, the combination of a spring-supported hub, revolving annnlar type-wheels on said hub, pawls engaging with the inner edges of said type-wheels, and intermediate gearing, whereby the bodily movement of the wheels moves the pawls to turn said wheels, substantially as set forth.

3. In a numbering-machine, the combination of a spring-supported hub having a recess extending along its length, revolving type-wheels on said hub, an oscillating shaft passing through said hub, pawls carried by said shaft and working back and forth in said recess upon the inner edges of the type-wheels, and gearing between said hub and said shaft, whereby the movement of the hub on its spring-support moves the pawls to turn the type-wheels, substantially as set forth.

4. In a nuinbering-machine, the combination of the spring-supported hub, the typewheels thereon, and the oscillating shaft carrying pawls engaging with said type-wheels, the pin on said hub, the toothed segment m,

with which said pin engages, the toothed segment n, the counter-pin, the toothed segment 19, and the toothed segment 19' on said shaft, substantially as set forth.

5. In a numbering-machine, the combination, with the revolving type-Wheels capable of bodily movement and gearing converting this bodily movement into the turning movement, of a retarding device for retarding the turning movement, substantially as set forth.

6. In a numbering-'tnachine, the combination,with the revolving typewheels capable of bodily movement, of the oscillating pawl-oarrier having pawls engaging with said Wheels, intermediate gearing for converting the bodily movement into a turning movement, and a spring bearing on the pawl-carrier and preventing its movement when the wheels are depressed, substantially as set forth.

7. In a numbering-machine, the combination of the spring-supported hub, the revolving type-whee1s thereon,the oscillating shaft passing through said hub, the pawls on said shaft engaging with the wheels, the gearing between the hub and the shaft, the cam or projection on said shaft, and the stationary gprililig bearing against it,substantially as set ort 8. In a numbering-machine, the combination, with a type-wheel, of an adjustable section adapted to be depressed or to be elevated to print a cipher, a spring for elevating said section, and a device affected by the adjacent type-wheel controlling the position of said block, substantially as set forth.

9. In a numbering-machine, the combination, with a type-wheel, of an adjustable section adapted to be depressed or to be elevated to print a cipher, a catch holding said section in its depressed position, a tripping device on the adjacent typewheel for releasing the catch at the proper point in the revolution of the Wheel, and a spring for elevating said section, substantially as set forth.

10. In a numbering-machine, the combination, with a type-Wheel having a recess in its periphery, of a turning block in said recess whose dimensions are such that it either presents a printing-surface or a depression, according to its position, a spring for turning said block, a catch holding said block in its depressed position, and a tripping device for said catch on the adjacent type-Wheel, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 12th day of November, 1887.

EDWIN G. BATES.

\Vitnesses:

WILLIAM PELZER, E. O. ROWLAND. 

